Hat form retainer and support



Aug. 26, 1 947. v -H. J. lBoEMANNs v '2,426,339

l HAT FORM RETAINER AND SUPPORT i Filed May 1. 1946 1s mi! Patented Aug.26, 1947 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE HAT FORM RETAINER AND SUPPORTHerman J. Boemanns, Raleigh, N. C.

Application May 1, 1946, Serial No. 666,368

1 Claim. 1

This invention relates to a form or shape retainer for a hat and for adevice which will stabilize the hat and cause it to retain its shape,and which will cause the hat to always have a neat appearance since thedevice acts as a stabilizer and as a shape retainer, thus causing thehat to be easily removed from the head, when the hat is seized by thefront top portion of the crown. rlhe device can also be quickly removedfrom the hat for the cleaning and pressing of the hat, and can again bequickly inserted. This device is different from other shape retainers,in that, it does not fit down behind the sweat band of the hat, whichwould thus decrease the size of the hat and cause the hat to bind thehead of the wearer. By having the corners of the shape retainer providedwith fine barbs, these barbs can be embedded in the fabric, but notproject through the fabric, to thus hold the device in position withoutfitting behind the sweat band.

It is, therefore, an object of this invention to provide a shaperetainer having barbs for engaging the felt of the hat for holding it inposition, and said device conforming to the shape of the particular hatso as to prevent it from losing its shape by handling or by bumpingagainst objects or being crushed and the like.

Some of the objects of the invention having been stated, other objectswill appear as the description proceeds, when taken in connection withthe accompanying drawings in which:

Figure 1 is an isometric view of a hat with portions broken away andshowing the retainer in position;

Figure 2 is a cross sectional view taken substantially along the line2-2 in Figure 1;

Figure 3 is an isometric View of the shape retainer disassociated fromthe hat;

Figure 4 is an enlarged sectional detail View showing how the barbs onthe retainer are embedded in the felt of the hat to hold the retainer inposition.

Referring more specifically to the drawings, the numeral Il) indicatesthe crown of the hat having a conventional brim II and an outer band I2and a sweat band I3. Hats are generally worn with indentations I5 and I6in the front side portion thereof, and with a top indentation I'I andthis provides a ridge I8 between the indentations I5 and I6. In order topreserve the shape of the hat, I provide a form retainer 20 havingprojections 2| and 22, having barbs, such as 23 and 24, on their outerends which are adapted to be embedded in the felt of the crown portionI0 of the hat.

The member 20 also has indentations 25 and 21 providing a ridge 28therebetween, which conforms to the shape of the hat. It also has adepression 30 into which the iront portion of indentation I'I of the hatcrown lits. The device also has lower projecting portions 32 and 33,provided with barbs 34 and 35, which likewise are embedded in the feltof the hat, as shown in Figure 4,

This device is preferably made from light plastic material or anysuitable semi-rigid, bendable and resilient material, so that it willproperly support the hat and retain its shape.

It is thus seen that I have provided a hat form retainer and reinforcingmember, which ts on the inside of the crown of the hat, and is supportedby the felt of the hat and not by going behind the inner sweat band, andwhich will cause a hat to retain its shape indefinitely, and which formretainer is easily removable for cleaning the hat.

In the drawings and specification, there has been set forth a preferredembodiment of the invention, and although specific terms are employed,they are used in a generic and descriptive sense only, and not forpurposes of limitation, the scope of the invention being defined in theclaim.

I claim:

A hat crown support comprising a resilient sheet member having a frontportion provided with a lower arcuate portion adapted to fit against theinterior surface of a hat crown above the upper edge of the inner hatband and having rearwardly projecting wings extending from its lowerportion and terminating in barbs adapted to be embedded in the crown,the upper end of the front portion having integral therewith rearwardlyextending diverging portions, concave-convex in cross-section anddiminishing in breadth as they extend rearwardly and terminating inpointed barbs adapted to be embedded in the hat crown, the sheet memberat the junction point of the upper end of the front portion and therearwardly extending diverging portions having two laterally spacedindentations therein.

HERMAN J. BOEMANNS.

REFERENCES CITED The following references areof record in the iile ofthis patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 608,821 Anderson Aug. 9, 18981,406,078 Reichard 1 Feb. 7, 1922 1,419,517 Powels June 13, 1923

